Valve for fluid operated pumps



May 25, 1937- Hc. JQCQBERLY 2,081,222

VALVE FOR FLUIDOPERATED PUMPSl F11ed Apr1l ll, 1934 2 Sheets sheet 1 Afro/NEX May 25, 19137 C.'J. COBERLY VALVE FOR FLUID OPERATED 'PUMPS Filed April 11, 1934 2 Sheets-511991l 2 Il!! WIWI/4,

[/vvf/vTo/e: CLARE/ VCE d 605mm; 6r

A Troie/vin APatented May 25, y1931' VALVE ron FLUID oPERATEn PUMPS Clarence J. Coberly, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to RoKo Corporation, Reno, Nev., a corporation of Nevada Application April 11, 1934, serial No. '120,000 1c (ci. 10a-m).`

My invention relates in general tocheck valve devices and relates in particular to a check valve structure especially 'suited for use as intake and discharge valves for pumps.

'I'he invention has especial utility with pumps which must be designed so as tol operate in a restricted space, such as the interior of a pipe at lthe bottom of a well. In the present methods of 1 vdrilling oil Wells it is necessary to reduce the size lo of the casing'asv the well deepens, so that very often the casing at'the bottom of a`well is of such small diameter that the production tubing 1 `used may be 2%" orless in diameter. To pump x oil from the bpttom of such a well requires the l5 use of a pump which will pass into the small diameter piping at-the bottom of the well. Since myinvention is at present used in a fluid operated pump of the general character shown in my copending application Serial 623,171, filed July 20 18, 1932, entltled- "Liquid operatedpump, it is believed that the restriction of the hereinafter disclosure of the invention to use with a pump of this character will be fully representative of the general utility of the invention. Pumps vof the general character to which my' invention is best suited employ a pumping cylinder in which a piston is reciprocated by means of a piston rod actuated from a point exterior of the pumping cylinder by a power device which generally consists of a power piston working in a power cylinder.

An object of the invention is to provide a check, or intake and discharge valve structure, which will operate efllciently but which may be designed 35 so a's to occupy a minimum space. In view of the fact that the fluid pumped through this valve structure may contain materials which tendlto 'deposit and clog. such, for instance, as fine silt,

sand. etc., contained in oil which is pumped from 40 a well, it is necessary that the valve structure v be of such character that the passages thereof will be continuously washed by the passage of fluid therethrough and'will not be so formed -as to encourage the accumulation of clogging mate- 45 rals therein.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a valve structure of the above character which will be simple in construction and very durable or atleast of such durability that it willlast as 50 long as the other working parts of the pump, so

that premature pulling of the pump will not be necessitated by valve failure.

It is a further object of the invention to providev a valvedevice which will occupy an annular space b5 at the endl of a small-diameter cylinder and around the `piston rod which projects from the cylinder. 1

It is a further object of the invention to provide `a simple valve structure in 4which a plurality of 60 valve `:losure' members, such', for instance, as

balls, and a simple means forresiliently forcingv the ball members into positions of engagement with their respective seats, are provided.

It is-a further object of the invention to provide a valve structure which will contribute to simplicity in the construction of a slender deep well pumping apparatus such as described hereinabove. l

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought outvin the following part of the specification.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 isa partly sectioned utility view'showing a fluid operated pump with which a preferred embodiment of my present invention is of especial Value.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section of that portion of the pump of Fig. 1 containing one of the valve structures.

Fig. 3 is a slightly enlarged cross-section on a plane represented` by the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a slightly enlarged cross-section ona plane represented by the line of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-section taken as indicated by the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. 4

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-section taken as indicated by the line 6--6 of Fla. 2.

In Fig. 1 I show. piping ii which extends downwardly from a casing-head i2 to the oil producing formation of a well. From a ttlng i3 forming an intermediate part of the casinghead i2 oil discharge piping i4 extends downwardly through the piping Il into the body of oil I5 in the lower portion thereof. The lower end of the dischargepiping I 4 is equipped with a seat i6 adapted to receive the lower end fitting l'l of a uid operating pump i8 which is lowered into the oil dicharge pipe M byI means of pressure iluid delivery piping or macaroni I 8a, the upper end I9 of which connects to the cap member ,20 of the casing-head i2. l

The pump it, interior details of which do not form a part-of the present invention, comprises an upper motor section 22 including a power cylinder 23 which is connectedby means oi a plug 24, Figs. 1 and 2, with a pumping cylinder 25. As shown in Fig. 2, the pumping cylinder is equipped with a liner 26 in which a pump piston 21 is reclprocated by means of a. piston or connecting rod 28 which extends downwardly from the power cylinder 23, through the plug 24 and a valve structure .29, into the interior space 30 ofy the cylinderA 25. The operation of the pump i8 is accomplished as follows: Fluid, such as clean oil under pressure, is delivered to the cap member 20 through piping 3|, and such uid,`at relvwhichis placed in each recess 43 and 4|.

ner that vertical reciprocation of the piston rod 28 results. Such reciprocating motion is transmitted to the pumping piston 21, with the vresult that oil is drawn from the body I5 thereof through the lower end of the pump, as indicated by the arrow 32 of Fig. 1, and is pumped into and upwardly through the space 33 within the oil discharge pipe |4, as indicated by arrows 34, to be finally delivered from the well through oil discharge piping 35 which leadsfrom the fitting i3 of the casing-head l2.

As shown in Fig. 2, the valve structure 23 comprises a wall or section 3l disposed at the lower end Aof the plug 24, a valve plate 31 which rests against the extreme lower end of the plug 24, anda member 38 which is held against the upper end of the liner 23 forming a part of the pumping piston and which serves as a wall for closing the upper end ofthe cylinder space 33. 'I'he member 38 is of cylindrical form and includes a cavity- 4|! in the lower portion thereof which serves as the extreme upper end of the interior-space of the pumping cylinder 25. The upper end of the member 33 has an annular channel 4|v therein concentric to a bore 42 through which the piston rod` 28 passes. This channel 4| forms a valve recess which confronts the lower Aface of the `valve plate 31 which is also" cylindrical in form V and has an opening 43 therethrough for passage of the piston rod 23. A plurality of passages 44 connect the vannular channel or recess 4| with the cavity 4|! forming the upper extremity of the interior space 30 of the pumping cylinder 25.

The wall 3E, imposed at the lower end of the plug 24, has a counterbore 45 therein which is transformed into an annular channel or recess 45 by the lower end portion 41 of a liner 48 which is secured in the bore 53 of the plug24. The recess 46 confronts the upper face of the valve plate 31 which is provided with ports or passages 5| and 52. The passages 5I are co-axial and connect the recess 4| with the recess`45. The pas-fy group of passages being substantially equally spaced on a circle, or, in other-words. spaced so as to define the points of equilateral triangles, and the passages 5| are preferably disposed intermediately between thepassages 52, as best shown in Fig. 5. The upper ends of the passages 5| are provided wlthvalve seats 51 comprising rings of hard metal," such as tungsten carbide, and the lower ends of the passages 52 are likewise provided with seats 53 o f the same character. In each of the recesses and 4I valve closure members consisting of hard metal balls 5h are placed in positions to cooperate with the seats 51 and '53. The balls 33 are resiliently forced toward their respective seats 51 and I3 by meansrof a pair of rings or plates 3|, one of With respect to -the valve seats. the rings Il engage the rearward portions of the valve closure members 63 and are forced toward the valve plate 31 by means of helical or spiral springs $3 which screwed up tightly on the plug 24.

.the pressure thereof vis employed in such a manpreferably have a diameter slightly greater than the internal diameters of the rings 6|. The infner ends of the springs 63 engage internal shoulders 34 on the rings 6| so as to hold such rings approximately centralized with respect to the `ing cylinder 25 is provided with/oil transfer passages 1| through which oil to be pumped is carried upwardly from the interior of the lower iitf f 20 ting i1, Fig. l, to the annular space 53'existing around the valve structure 28. During the downward stroke of the piston 21 oilis drawn in from the space 53 throughv the passages 52, the

balls 60 of the recess 4| being thereby moved downwardly from their seats. When the piston subsequently moves upwardly, the passages 52 are closed, and the discharge oil is forced upwardly through the passagesF the recess 4|, and the passages 5| into the recess 46, from whence the oil passes through the, passages |56v into the space 33 exterior of the pump structure, through which space it is conducted to the top of` the well. I

The upward movement of the rings SI is'limited so that the balls Bil cannot be lifted to such an extent that they may be moved lateraliy'out of position for engagement with the seats 51. This limitation of the movement of the rings 6| may be accomplished in different manners, for example. by engagement with a shoulder or by making the springs 63 so that they will not compress more than a certain distance. The valve balls 6U are disposed in three-point engagement with the rings 3| so that these rings 6| will be at all times in engagemntwith all of the balls 60. Also, the springs 63 are so formed that the rings may have a rocking or universal movement, which contributes to the`three-point engagement with the balls 50 to the effect of holding all of the balls resiliently in engagement with their respective seats. This cannot be accomplished by use of four balls withoutextremely accurate machining of the various parts involved, and the proper condition of operation would soon become disturbed should one of the balls or its cooperating seat wear faster than the others. 'I'he parts 33, 31, and 33 of the valve structure are held in end-to-end, or face-to-face engagement by pressure derived from tens'io'n in the tubular wall 54. In the assembling of the parts of the pump shown in Fig. 2, the wall 54-is heated before it is finally 'I'he shrinkage of the wall 54, upon cooling thereof, forces the parts 2,5, 35, 31, and`33 into end-to-end engagement with ampie force'to provide fluid-tight vjoints between them.

Although I `have herein shown and described my invention in simple and practical form, it' is' recognized that certain parts or elements thereof are representative of other parts, elements, or mechanisms which may be used in substantially the same manner to accomplish substantially the same results:` therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is Anot to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is fto be accorded the full scope of the following claims.

, I` claim as my invention:

l. A valve device of the character described,

including: walls forming an annular chamber,

there being uid passages leading from said chamber; an end wall for said chamber having three substantially equally spaced valve ports therein communicating with said annular chamber; three ball members within said chamber, each being disposed in a position to close one of saidports and projecting a distance thereinto;

means for resiliently forcing said ball members 1 toward said ports,l comprising a ring member chamber; an end wall for said chamber having i encircling said chamber and engaging said ball members, and resilient means urging said ring member toward said ball members and means for limiting the outward movement of said ring member to less than said distance. 2. A valve deviceof the character described, including:l walls forming an 'annular chamber, there being fluid passages leading from said three substantially equally spaced valve ports therein communicating with said annular chamber; a like number of closure members within said chamber, each being disposed in a position to close one of said ports; and means for resiliently forcing said closure members toward said ports, comprising a ring member encircling said chamber and engaging said closure members, and

a coil spring circling said chamber behind said ring member and forcing said ring member to- Ward said closure members.

3. i valve device of the character described, including: walls forming a chamber, there being fluid passages leading from said chamber; an end wall for said chamber having three ports communicating with said chamber, said ports being disposed so as to form a triangle; three closure members within said chamber, each being disposed in a position to close one yof said ports and projecting al distance thereinto; means for resiliently forcing said closure members toward said ports, comprising. a ring member disposed in parallel relation to said end wall of said chamber and resting against the rearward portions of said closure members, and resilient means urging said ring member'toward said ports so as to'move said closure members into closing relation thereto and means for limiting the outward'movement of said ring member to less than said distance.

fi. A valve device for a pump of the character described, having walls forming a cylinder, and Y a piston rod projecting .from said cylinder, comprisin'g: a wall closing the 'end' of said cylinder, there being an opening in said wall through which said piston rod passes, and an annular channel in said wall around said piston rod forming-a valve chamber having 'passages connecting with the interior of said cylinder; an end wall closing the outer end Aof said chamber, said endwall having three valve ports therein connecting with said chamber; a plurality of closure memuers in said chamber one each of which cooperf ates with one of said valve ports; and a spring pressed ring in said chamber forcing said closure members toward said ports.

5. A valve device for a pump of the character described, having a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder having a projecting piston rod, a tubular wall extending from said cylinder, and aplug in the end of said tubular wall, including: a wall member for closing the end of said cylinder facing said plug, said wall member having an opening therethrough for said piston rod and an annularrecess in the end thereof facing said plug, there being passages connecting said recess with the interior of said cylinder; a wall disposed at the inner end of said plug and having an annular recess facing ,said rst named recess, there beingldischarge passages in said plug connecting such annular recess with the exterior of said plug; an annular valve plate between said end wall of said plug and said wall member closing the end of said cylinder, said valve plate having three passages extending co-axially therethrough so as to connect said recesses and three passages connecting said first named recess with thel interior of said tubular wall extending from said cylinder; valve closure: means in said first named recess for closing said passages which lead from said first named recess to the interior of said wall extending from' said cylinder; and

valve closure means in said second named recess for closing said passages which connect said recesses.

6. A vvalve device for a pump of the charac-- ter described, having a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder having a projecting piston rod, a tubular wall extending from said cylinder, and a plug in the end of said tubular Wall, including: a walI member for closing the end of said cylinder fac-- ing said plug, said wall member having an opena passage extending co-axially therethrough so as toconnect said recesses and a passage connecting said first named recess with the interior of vsaid tubular wall extending from said cylinder;

valve closure means in said first named recess for closing said passage which leads from said.

first named recess to the interior of said wall extending from said cylinder; and valve closure means in said second namedl recess for closing said passage which connects said recesses.

7. A valve device for a pump of the character described, having a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder having a projecting piston rod, a tubular wall extending from said cylinder, and a p`l ug i in the. end of said tubular wall having an operi-V ing for said piston rod and passages'therein, including: a Wall member for closing the end of said cylinder facing said plug, said Wallmember having an opening therethrough for said piston rod; an annular valve plate between sai'dend wall of said plug and said wall member closing the end of said cylinder, there being an annular recess formed between said cylinder and said plate and being connected to the interior of said cylinder, and there being a recess formed between said plug and said plate and being connected to said passagesA of'said plug, said valve plate having a passage extending co-axially therethrough' so as to connect said recesses and a passage connecting said first named recess with the interior of said tubular wall extending from said cylinder; valve closure means in said first named recess for closing said passage which leads from said first named recess'to the interior of said wall extending from said cylinder; and valve closure means in said second named recess for closing said passage which connects said recesses.

8. A valve device for a pump of the character described, comprising: a cylinder; a body spaced from the end of said cylinder, said body having a passage therein; a wall closing the end of said cylinder; a valve plate disposed between said wall and said body, there being an annular recess formed between said plate and said wall connected to the interior of said cylinder, and there being an annular recess formed between said plate and said body and connected to said passage of said body, said valve plate having a passage extending co-axially therethrough so as to connect said recesses and having a passage connecting with said first named recess and bending radially outwardly to the exterior of said valve plate; valve closure means in said recesses for closing said passages of said valve plate; and means for connecting said body to said cylinder and holding said valve plate in fluid-tight engagement with said wall.

9. A valve device for a pump of the character described, having walls forming a cylinder. and a piston rod projecting from said cylinder, comprising: a wall closing the end of said cylinder, there being an opening in said wall through which said piston rod passes, and an annular channel in said wall around said piston rod forming a valve chamber having passages connecting with the interior of said cylinder; an end wall closing the outer end of said chamber, said end wall having valve ports therein connecting with said chamber; closure members in said chamber one each of which cooperates with one of said valve ports; and means in said chamber forcing said closure members toward said ports.

10. A valve device for a pump of the character described, having walls forming a cylinder, and a piston rod projecting from said cylinder, comprising: a wall closing the end of said cylinder, there being an opening in said wall through which said piston rod passes, there being annular Awalls forming an annular valve chamber against the outer face of said wall closing said cylinder, said chamber being separated from said piston rod opening, and said wall closing said cylinder having passages connecting with the interior of said cylinder; an end wall closing the outer end of said chamber, said end wall having valve ports therein connecting with said chamber; and closure members in said chamber one each of which cooperates with one of said valve ports.

11. A valve device for a iiuid operated pump having a cylinder with a piston therein provided with a piston rod projecting from the end of said cylinder, comprising: walls forming a valve casing around said rod in -a .position adjacent the end of said cylinder, said valve casing having an internal port connecting with the interior of said cylinder and having an external port connecting with the exterior of said valve casing through the lateral Wall thereof, there being check valve means in said casing disposed between said internal and external ports; and a 12. A valve device of the characterfdescribed, including: walls forming an annular chamber, there being fluid passages leading from said chamber; an end wall for said chamber having three substantially equally spaced valve ports therein communicating with said annular chamber; a like number of closure members within said chamber, each being disposed in a position to close one of said ports; and means for resiliently forcing said closure members toward said ports, comprising a ring member encircling said chamber and engaging said closure members, and resilient means in said chamber behind said ring member operating to force said ring member toward said closure members.

13. A valve device of the character described, including: walls forming a valve chamber, one of the walls of said chamber having three valve ports therein communicating with said chamber; a plurality of ball members within said chamber, each being positioned so as to close one of said ports and projecting a distance thereinto; a pressure member engaging all of said ball members; means for exerting a force on said pressure member so as to seat said ball members in said ports; and means for limiting the movement of said ball members away from said ports to'less than said distance.

14. A valve device of the character described, including: walls forming a valve chamber, one of the walls of said chamber having three valve ports therein communicating with said chamber; three ball members within said cham.- ber, each being positioned so as to close one of said ports and projecting a distance thereinto; a pressure member engaging all of said ball members; means for resiliently exerting a force on said pressure member so as to seat said ball members in said ports; and means for limiting the movement of said ball members away from said ports to less than said distance.

15. A valve device of the character described, including: walls forming a valve chamber, one of the walls of said chamber having three valve ports therein communicating with said chamber; a plurality of ball members within said chamber, each being positioned so as to close one of said ports and projecting a distance thereinto; a pressure member engaging all of said ball members, .said pressure member being held in floating engagement with said ball members; means for exerting a force on said pressure member so as to seat said ball members in said ports; and means for limiting the movement of said ball'members away from said ports to less than said distance.

16. A valve device of the character described, including: walls` forming a valve chamber, one-of the walls of sa'id chamber having three valve ports therein communicating with said chamber; a plurality of closure members within said chamber, each being positioned so as to close one of said ports and projecting a distance thereinto; a pressure member engaging all of said closure members; and a coil spring in said chamber engaging said pressure member so as to yieldably force said pressure member and said closure members toward said ports so as to seat said closure members with respect to said ports.

CLARENCE J. COBERLY. 

